


Carried by the Season's Flow

by teddiehtet



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Odorite Tamaki, Utaite Sougo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23489485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teddiehtet/pseuds/teddiehtet
Summary: Spring brings new beginnings.‘5pice’, an utaite (does song covers) on Rabbitube, reaches out to ‘Clover’, an odorite (does dance covers), and asks to work together on a collaboration, sparking the start of a new partnership. The coincidence of being students of the same university plays into their favor for their work as well as their budding friendship. However, as the seasons change, so does their relationship. Perhaps one day, they too will experience fragments of love falling into place.
Relationships: Yotsuba Tamaki/Ousaka Sougo
Comments: 14
Kudos: 47
Collections: Dear Butterfly: MEZZO" Exchange





	Carried by the Season's Flow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amegafuru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amegafuru/gifts).



> Happy TamaSou Day! This fic was written for the Dear Butterfly Exchange 2020, for Ame ([ @captainjunta](https://twitter.com/captainjunta))! I loved the college prompt and the utaite/odorite plot, so I decided to mix the 2 together. I hope that you'll enjoy!!

“Hm?” 

Tamaki’s cursor hovered over the title of a video that popped up recently in his Rabbitube’s recommended list. 

『Silver Sky』piano arrange 歌ってみた【5pice】

 _“Re:Vale’s song huh…”_ Tamaki mentally noted. _“In piano arrange too.”_

He clicked on the title, and was soon enveloped by the opening notes of “Silver Sky”. In the video was a young man, seemingly around the same age as Tamaki, sitting in front of a keyboard. A microphone with a pop filter stood, suspended, in front of his face while his hands flew across the keys. He took a breath, and started to sing.

...

As soon as the ring of a Rabbitube notification sounded off, Sougo dropped his pen and reached for his phone. 

_Clover has uploaded a new video._

Tapping on the notification, Sougo was brought to the video’s page. 

【Clover】Last Dimension踊ってみた【オリジナル振付】

Eyes shining with anticipation, he oriented his phone horizontally and pressed play. Almost immediately, the opening rhythm of _“Last Dimension”_ flowed from the speakers of his phone. Sougo’s eyes gleamed with anticipation as he focused on the figure in the video- dressed in comfortable wear and hair tied in his signature ponytail, the young dancer began his choreography, synching perfectly to the music. 

* * *

**_With spring comes new beginnings. What started as a leap of courage sets off a butterfly effect, tying together the paths of a young singer and dancer._ **

Sougo propped his elbows on the table and set his chin on top of his linked fingers. The long email he had written the night before that remained unsent stared back at him from his computer screen. Sougo chewed on his lower lip, still caught in his internal debate. 

_“Do I sound too pushy? Too formal or too informal? Would Clover-san even reply?”_

He let his head slip down slightly so that his forehead was pressed against his clasped hands. The fear of leaving a bad first impression as well as the possibility of his email being ignored was like an invisible force holding him back from pressing the ‘send’ button. 

_“We’ve commented on each other’s videos before. He’ll at least give some sort of reply, regardless,” one side of_ Sougo reasoned. 

After a few more minutes of thought, he quickly took a hold of his mouse and hit ‘send’ before he could change his mind again. Sougo then pushed his chair back and stood up, deciding to stay away from his computer for a while, and instead try to focus on previewing the reading for one of his composition classes. 

_“At least try to get something productive done before the school year starts,”_ Sougo reminded himself. 

...

Just as he tapped on the last note of the song on his rhythm game, Tamaki received a notification from his channel’s email. 

“I thought I turned off notifications,” Tamaki mumbled, grateful at the very least that the alert didn’t break his combo. 

Before continuing to play his event, Tamaki went to his notifications and tapped on the incoming email, just to check that it wasn’t spam. His eyes caught the name ‘5pice’ in the sender’s email, slightly surprising him. 

“Wow, that’s a long email,” Tamaki muttered. He scrolled down and continued reading, partly impressed and partly concerned by 5pice’s stiff language. “Even though he looks so relaxed when he’s singing.” 

Tamaki tapped on ‘reply’ and started typing. 

...

Sougo sipped on his drink as he sat, waiting. It had only been a couple of hours since the cafe opened, but most of the tables were already occupied by fellow college students and parents grabbing quick snacks. 

_“Right,”_ Sougo remembered. _“More new students are moving in to the dorms.”_

The jazzy background music filled the room, adding a bit more life to his surroundings. Sougo closed his eyes and focused on the tunes, letting himself get immersed in the melody… until the jarring sound of chair legs scraping across the floor brought him back to reality. 

“Hi there!” A young man greeted as he pulled out the chair facing Sougo, and took a seat. “It’s nice to finally meet you face to face.” 

At the sudden introduction, Sougo jumped in his seat. The passionate side of his brain almost went into fanboy mode, but the logical side held onto it, letting him recover swiftly and put on his mask of professionalism. 

“It’s nice to meet you in person as well,” he spoke, extending his hand to offer a handshake. “Thank you very much for replying and agreeing to collaborate.” 

Tamaki’s arm lingered a little before accepting Sougo’s handshake. “I’d love to work together. Your song covers are always really fun to listen to, and your personal arrangements are done really well! I became a fan almost instantly.”

With a light laugh and an embarrassed tilt of the head, Sougo replied, “Thank you, I’m extremely happy to hear that. I’m also a big fan of your dance covers. Your movements are very crisp and your original choreography is very creative! I look forward to working together with you.” 

“Me too,” Tamaki replied. “I’m Tamaki Yotsuba, by the way. You can just call me Tamaki.” 

“I apologize, I didn’t introduce myself at all. I’m Sougo Osaka.” 

“Then, Sou-chan,” Tamaki started. “I’ll be in your care.” 

“Likewise, Tamaki-kun.” 

…

“Are you sure both of you will have time to work on videos?” 

Tamaki and Iori made their way out from their dorm building and to the general first years’ lecture hall. 

“Mmhm, we both agreed that we don't need to rush it.” 

“As long as you think you’ll be able to juggle both...” Iori reminded. “We haven’t gotten very far into the semester but please don’t slack off. The major you decided on is already quite demanding.” 

“I’ll be fine, Iorin~” 

Right as they passed by the music building, someone else rushed out from the entrance, accidentally bumping into Tamaki. 

“I’m so sorry, I was just in a hurry and--” 

Still holding onto the other student’s upper arms, Tamaki looked down. “Wait, Sou-chan?” 

Upon the mention of his nickname, Sougo looked up, his jaw dropping. “Tamaki-kun?” 

Iori’s gaze flitted back and forth between them. “An acquaintance of yours, Yotsuba-san?” 

“Oh right. Iorin, this is Sou-chan, the guy I’m working with,” Tamaki cleared. 

“My full name is Iori Izumi,” Iori corrected, and gave a small bow. “It’s nice to meet you.” 

Returning the bow, Sougo introduced, “I’m Sougo Osaka. It’s nice to meet you as well, Iori-kun.” 

“Woah. You two are so professional,” Tamaki commented. “I can see you getting along.” 

“It’s natural to be polite when meeting people for the first time, Yotsuba-san,” Iori rebutted. He then grabbed Tamaki’s bag and tugged. “I’m sorry to cut the conversation short, but Yotsuba-san and I need to get to the lecture hall. Any longer and we’re going to be late.” 

“Ah, yeah yeah! Let’s go,” Tamaki agreed. “Sou-chan, if you have time during lunch, let’s meet at the cafeteria later and we can talk?” 

“Yes, that works,” Sougo confirmed. With a wave, he bid Tamaki and Iori good luck on their classes and ran off in the opposite direction. 

...

After searching in the cafeteria for a few minutes, Tamaki finally found Sougo and took the seat across from him after placing his tray of food on the table. 

“Your friend isn’t joining us?” Sougo asked. 

“He will in a bit,” Tamaki clarified. “Iorin said he needed to find one of his TAs and ask them something.” 

“Ah, okay,” Sougo spoke. “I have to say, I was slightly surprised. I wasn’t aware you were a student here.” 

“I didn’t know you went here either,” Tamaki said, as he started digging into his curry. “Actually, when we first met, even though we spent a lot of time talking about the collab, we didn’t really talk much about ourselves did we?” 

“That’s true. We didn’t even think of exchanging phone numbers,” Sougo followed up. He reached into one of the pockets of his bag and pulled out a small bottle of hot sauce, which he uncapped and dropped a very generous amount of, into his own curry while Tamaki watched with wide eyes. 

“Let’s exchange them now,” Tamaki suggested, pulling out his phone. “We can also get each other’s RabbitChat ID.” 

“Now?” Sougo asked, his spoon halfway to his mouth. 

“Yeah, why not? Might as well get it done.” 

Sougo put his spoon back down and reached into his pocket for his phone. Once they’ve exchanged numbers and IDs, they resumed eating while keeping up small conversations. 

“So,” Tamaki started. “What year are you?” 

“I’m currently in my second year, majoring in music composition,” Sougo answered once he finished chewing. “I actually used to be a business major but decided that it wasn’t for me.” 

“Music composition. That sounds hard,” Tamaki commented. 

“What about you?” 

“A first year, planning on majoring in Astronomy.” 

“That’s quite interesting!” 

“Mmhm, I really like stargazing and learning more about them,” Tamaki shortly explained. 

“I’m glad you’re pursuing what you’re truly interested in.” 

Somehow Tamaki thought he heard a slight tinge of regret in Sougo’s voice. He debated whether or not he should ask, but in the end, he went ahead. “Don’t you like your major?” 

“Oh, I love my major now,” Sougo swiftly answered. “It’s more like… I didn’t really enjoy my past major too much. I’m glad I switched but it just means that I’d have to overload on classes a bit. Not that I mind too much.” 

“Hmm, I see.” 

Soon, Sougo and Tamaki finished their lunches and had fallen into a comfortable cycle of back and forth dialogue. This time, instead of mainly talking about work, they managed to learn a bit more about each other, as individuals, and not just as “5pice” and “Clover”. 

...

Almost as fast as a wave of the hand, the semester flew by. While juggling their respective classes, Sougo and Tamaki kept in touch and worked on their respective parts for the collaboration. Once they were both ready with their files, they went to the cafe they first met to assemble the video. Once they had spent ample time on it and finished checking for mistakes, they went ahead and uploaded it on Rabbitube. 

Tamaki stretched his arms while waiting for the video to finish uploading. “We’re done!” 

“We are! Good work, Tamaki-kun,” Sougo praised, feeling more comfortable talking with Tamaki now that they’ve gotten to know each other better. “When I first saw your dance for this, I was blown away. Your movements are so dynamic and accurate, and you always create choreography that fits the song. Honestly, I was really concerned that my voice wouldn’t do the song justice, especially since it’s Trigger’s debut song, but I was quite excited to see your original choreography for it!” 

“You did a great job too, Sou-chan!” Tamaki returned the praise. “You didn’t need to be concerned. I thought your voice came through really strong! Personally, I think _‘Diamond Fusion’_ is a hard one to sing, but your singing shone through so well.” 

Their dialogue quickly turned into a game of praise ping pong. Ever since they met, they both learned that when it comes to their creations, they’re big fans of each other and will gush about the other’s works when given the chance. 

* * *

**_With summer comes new memories. Faced by the vast expanse of the crystal clear night sky and the illumination of the moonlight, perhaps one can catch a falling star._ **

After the successful upload of their first collaboration, Tamaki and Sougo went back to focusing on their school work. Although they still kept in contact, since they were in different majors, and therefore spent more time in different buildings, they saw each other less often, unless they deliberately met up for a meal. 

Time flew by, and soon summer break was upon them. 

[Sou-chan, do you wanna go to the beach?]

After reading Tamaki’s new message, Sougo typed back. 

[Is there a certain day you were planning on going?] 

[Yeah! We were thinking of going in maybe a couple of days? Iorin’s helping plan it out. I also asked the others. Come, it’ll be fun!] 

Sougo recalled who else Tamaki could be talking about. He remembered meeting a fellow second year- a cheerful young man full of positivity, who was also in the music department, and was majoring in vocal training. Before long, he quickly bonded with Tamaki and Iori, as well. Next, Sougo remembered meeting Iori’s older brother through Iori, and then his roommate, an eccentric exchange student from a European country. Sougo also became fast friends with Mitsuki and another third year student by going drinking together. 

[Others like Riku-kun, Mitsuki-san, Rokuya-san, and Yamato-san?]

[Yep! It’s much more fun to go as a group. What do you say, Sou-chan?] 

Sougo sat in thought for a bit before replying. [Sure, I’ll go.] 

[Yay! Okay, so I’ll text you more info about when and where to meet and stuff. See ya!] 

After exiting RabbitChat, Sougo checked both his school and personal emails to make sure that he had finished everything he needed to and didn't have anything to work on during the break. Already looking forward to the beach trip, Sougo started making a list on his phone about items he would need to pack. 

...

“Sou-chan, Iorin, Mikki, I’ll race you to the sea!” 

“Yotsuba-san, are you a child--”

“You’re on, Tamaki!” 

Iori repressed the urge to facepalm as his older brother and classmate ran off in the direction of the water. 

“They seem pretty excited.” 

With a pair of sunglasses perched on the top of his head and a thin, violet shirt hanging on his shoulders, Sougo, in his swim trunks, walked up next to Iori. 

“Hello, Osaka-san. Are the others still changing?” Iori asked, looking back past Sougo, for the other members of their friend group. 

“They’re done,” Sougo replied. “Riku-kun wanted to get something light to eat first, then Yamato-san and Nagi-kun said that they were hungry too. So, the three of them went off to get something from one of the local stalls. They said they’ll meet us at the sea later.” 

Iori nodded in understanding. “They didn’t eat breakfast with us after all.” 

“Yes, they must be hungry,” Sougo commented. “Shall we go and join Mitsuki-san and Tamaki-kun?” 

In a few minutes, they reached the beach side and before long, were already being splashed with water by Mitsuki and Tamaki. Soon it turned into a splash fest that even Iori was enticed into. Then, once the others met up with them, Mitsuki was first tackled by Nagi, submerging them both in the water while Riku and Yamato caught up later. 

For quite a long time, the seven boys stayed on the beach either swimming, tanning, or playing around in the sand. 

…

Soft snores filled the air of the dark room as the seven boys, spread about, slept curled up in their individual sleeping bags. Tamaki, on the other hand, was feeling restless. He closed his eyes, then opened them again. Adjusting his position, he rolled on to his side, immediately greeted by the sight of Sougo’s back. After a few seconds, his gaze strayed to one of the windows. Though the thin curtains were drawn over the window, Tamaki could still make out the small specks of twinkling stars. 

He made up his mind. 

Tamaki reached out to lightly poke Sougo’s back as he whispered, “Sou-chan.” 

An unenthusiastic grunt answered back. 

“You’ve never properly gone stargazing before right? Wanna go out and see?” 

Tamaki gave a couple more pokes, finally causing Sougo to respond. The older man first peeked groggily over his shoulder, then turned his whole body to face Tamaki. Even with just half open eyes, Sougo’s stare pierced straight into Tamaki’s soul. For a split second, he wondered if he should fear for his life. 

However, he persisted. “C’mon, Sou-chan. It’ll be fun.” 

Sougo blinked a couple of times in response before speaking. “Okay, but we need to be quiet. I don’t want to disturb the others.” 

Tamaki gave a firm nod as he started to climb out of his sleeping back. Sougo followed soon after, and, after grabbing one of the room keys they received, the two of them tip-toed their way to the door. 

A cool breeze from the ocean greeted them as they made their way outside. Sougo shut the door as silently as possible, then twisted the knob a couple of times to make sure it stayed locked. 

Wasting no time, Tamaki grabbed Sougo’s wrist. “Let’s go on the sand!” 

“The sand? We’re going to track all of that back in--” 

“It’ll be ok! We can wash off at those outdoor shower things.” 

“But-”

With his other hand, Tamaki pressed his fingers against Sougo’s lips. “You worry too much, Sou-chan. Let’s just relax, yeah?” 

Giving in, Sougo let himself be pulled by Tamaki to the direction of the beach. Once they reached the beach area, the two men took a seat on the sand, a good distance away from the swaying tide. Tamaki pointed up, gesturing to Sougo to watch the sight with him.

Looking up, a small gasp slipped past Sougo’s lips. Away from the glaring lights of the city, the view of the night sky was much clearer. If Sougo had to describe the sight, it would be a completely black canvas, thoroughly decorated with hundreds of tiny, bright specks of light; some larger than others. Accompanying the vast expanse of stars was the half-moon, providing a different kind of illumination. 

“I would’ve brought my binoculars with me, but I didn’t think we’d be properly stargazing,” Tamaki explained, a slight tinge of disappointment evident in his voice. 

With a small smile, Sougo suggested, “There’s always a next time.” 

“You’re right. And it’s not like we’re strangers anymore,” Tamaki added. “Maybe sometime during a weekend or a break, I can show you my favorite stargazing spot!” 

“It’d be a pleasure to accompany you,” Sougo answered. 

After nodding in mutual understanding, the two men turned their attention back to the sky. Tamaki, showing off his love for astronomy, pointed out a couple of constellations he could recognize with the naked eye and shared some facts about them to a very attentive Sougo. 

Suddenly, a bright streak of light crossed the sky, disappearing as fast as it appeared.

“Ah!” Both men simultaneously exclaimed. 

Tamaki grabbed Sougo’s shoulder. “You saw that right, Sou-chan? A shooting star!”

Now, looking at Tamaki, right at this moment, Sougo felt like he didn’t even need to gaze up at the sky to see the stars. Overwhelmed with excitement and passion, Tamaki’s eyes shone equally bright, if not even brighter, than any star in the galaxy. 

For the first time in his life, Sougo felt an unfamiliar tug at his heart. 

Soon, Tamaki’s voice brought Sougo back to the present. “Oh, now that I think about it. It’s August… we’re right in the window for the Perseids meteor shower!” A couple more meteors streaked across the sky. 

“The Perseids meteor shower?” Sougo repeated. 

“Mmhm. The meteors for this shower come from a point near the constellation of Perseus. There are also other groups of meteor showers at other points during the year, but the Perseids shower happens during the summer, in August. I can’t believe we got lucky enough to catch it so randomly!” 

As a few more meteors passed by, Sougo sneaked a peek at Tamaki. The bangs framing Tamaki’s face swayed slightly as the ocean breeze blew by. His lips were curved up in an uncontrollable smile while his gaze, still trained on the sky above, reflected a pure love for the galaxies. 

Tilting his head up and turning his gaze back to the meteor shower, Sougo decided that perhaps coming out to the beach at such a late hour wasn’t a bad idea after all. For a while, the two men sat in a comfortable silence as they watched some more meteors streak by, until Sougo started humming out of the blue. 

“Isn’t that ‘Catch a Falling Star’?” Tamaki asked. 

“Yes. Fitting isn’t it?” Sougo chuckled. “Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, never let it fade away.” 

Tamaki followed, “Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day...”

Before they knew it, the two of them naturally continued singing together, even bringing in a harmony during the chorus. After finishing the song together, a short period of silence followed before matching grins broke out. 

Getting a chance to see the Perseids meteor shower and listen to Sougo’s voice at the same time was a combination that Tamaki would’ve never expected to experience. 

“As always, your voice is super soothing,” Tamaki complimented. “I can’t wait to hear what you’re working on next.” 

“You have an amazing voice as well, Tamaki-kun! I think this is the first time I’ve actually heard you sing. Your voice holds a lot of power, and you do an amazing job at controlling it,” Sougo answered back. 

Pleasantly surprised by Sougo’s compliment, Tamaki sheepishly replied, “It’d be nice to sing together again.” 

Sougo brought his knees up together and hugged them. Resting his cheek on the top of his knees, Sougo held Tamaki’s gaze. A curious spark lit up in his eyes. “Hmm. I’ll hold you to that then.” 

The shooting stars may have gradually died down, but the memories of the night will stay alight in their memories.

...

Once everyone arrived back home, Sougo went straight to composing. With the memory of Tamaki’s voice ringing clear in his ears, his hands got to work, flowing across the keyboard and jotting down pieces of a graceful melody that he would soon stitch together. 

For the next few days, day and night, Sougo worked on composing. He still had contact with his friends, but mostly kept his work in progress a secret. Even when he had finally completed the song, Sougo was still hesitant about revealing it. 

Sougo took the chance to ask when Tamaki video called him, “Tamaki-kun, what do you think of working on a second collaboration?” 

“I’d be down for it!” Tamaki almost immediately agreed, his fingers playing with the cord of his earphones. 

“If you’re too busy, it’s completely fine to refuse,” Sougo assured. 

“Nah, I’ve been trying to be on track with my classes and everything. If I can’t handle it, I’ll definitely say something. I’m more worried about you in that part,” Tamaki replied. “You’re the one who takes on more than you can chew, y’know.” 

“Ah…” Sougo muttered, knowing well that what was said was the truth. 

“So you gotta promise me too, that if things get too hectic for you, you’ll say it,” Tamaki continued. “Alright, Sou-chan?” 

Seeing how attentive Tamaki was brought a small smile to Sougo’s face. His gaze softened as he promised, “Okay, if things get too much for me I’ll let you know.” 

“Good,” Tamaki answered with a satisfied huff. “So about the next collab, did you have an idea already?” 

“I was wondering if...if you would be okay with us singing together?”

Tamaki’s cheerful laugh rang in Sougo’s ears, clear as bells. “That sounds good! I had fun singing with you at the beach. I’d love to do that together again!” 

“I did say I’d hold you to it,” Sougo reminded with a chuckle of his own.

Before continuing, Sougo sucked in a breath. Still not fully confident in his own composition, he debated whether or not he should even tell Tamaki that he had created a song, or if he should just backtrack and choose another artist’s song to cover. While his internal debate went on, Sougo let his eyes fall shut.

“Sou-chan. Did something happen?” 

Tamaki’s concerned voice broke through Sougo’s thoughts. Snapping his eyes open, he quickly responded, “No… it’s nothing. Just...sorting out some thoughts.” 

Tamaki’s eyes squinted in doubt. “You sure it’s nothing?” 

Pressing his lips together in a thin line, Sougo gave in and replied, “I...I actually wrote a song.” 

“Oh!!” Tamaki’s eyebrows raised with excitement. “I wanna hear it!” 

“I’m still a student so my composing isn’t that good yet but…” 

“I still wanna hear it,”Tamaki insisted. “In your eyes, whether you think it’s good or not, it’s still something you made, and I’ll still wanna see.” 

Once again pleasantly taken aback by Tamaki’s supportiveness, Sougo squeezed his eyes shut and finally decided to drop his sample in their chat. As soon as the file appeared, Tamaki tapped on it and started listening. 

With bated breath, Sougo held onto his phone, staring intently at his screen to gauge Tamaki’s reaction. First, he noticed how Tamaki’s eyes got a bit rounder, then his mouth fell slightly open. As soon as the sample finished, Tamaki gushed, “Sou-chan!! It’s so wow! Really soothing to listen to!” 

A small laugh slipped past Sougo’s lips, seeing Tamaki genuinely enjoy the song. “So...would it be okay if we used that for our next collaboration?” 

“Definitely!” Tamaki enthusiastically agreed. “It sounds really good, Sou-chan. Just let me know how you usually work on your covers and I’ll do my parts too.” 

Thus, during their free time, both of them practiced their own parts and on the weekends Tamaki would go over to Sougo’s place to practice and film together. Slowly but surely, their new song came together smoothly, and soon enough, Sougo had finished mixing and editing the finishing touches on the whole song. 

After triple checking and making sure there were no mistakes, Sougo finally clicked on the ‘upload’ button, while Tamaki sat next to him with an arm across Sougo’s shoulders. 

As they waited for the video to upload, Sougo heaved a heavy sigh. Although his eyes betrayed some of the fear he held due to potential backlash, Sougo nevertheless flashed a warm smile at Tamaki. “Thank you for being here, Tamaki-kun. Good job to both of us.” 

_Tsukiakari Illuminate_ 【5pice x Clover】

* * *

**_With fall comes cool winds, tugging along the fragments of love and letting them assemble into place._ **

[This is so good!! Their voices blend so, so, so well!] 

[5pice-san wrote this? That’s amazing!!] 

[Wow! Clover’s voice is so powerful. How has he never done any song covers before?] 

[Aaaaaa!!! They sound heavenly! Please sing together more often!]

[You two are meant to sing together! Thank you so much for blessing us with this!] 

Taking in a sharp breath, Sougo tried to control the overwhelming emotions of happiness and pride that threatened to overflow. 

“See, Sou-chan,” Tamaki pointed out. “So many people love it.” 

It had taken a bit of persuading, but once Tamaki managed to convince Sougo to read the comments together with him, the older man was finally able to calm down. Although there were the usual few, random angry comments, a huge majority of the viewers had only good things to say. 

After letting his body slump down in relief, Sougo tilted his head up to look at Tamaki. “I can’t thank you enough, Tamaki-kun.” 

An endearing grin crossed Tamaki’s lips as he put his hand on Sougo’s shoulder and gave a couple of supportive pats. “Anytime, Sou-chan.” 

Days passed, and the number of comments asking them to collaborate again kept increasing. Surprised by the large wave of positive responses to “ _Tsukiakari Illuminate”_ , Tamaki and Sougo talked about working together again. However this time, Tamaki suggested doing a dance cover. 

“I’m…not very confident in dancing though,” Sougo admitted. 

“It’ll be okay! I’ll teach you,” Tamaki promised. “Why don’t you pick the song, and we can work on the choreography together?” 

Sougo let his chin rest on his index finger, taking a moment to think. “Then… what about Trigger’s _‘Secret Night’_?” 

“Oh, that’s good!” Tamaki agreed. “Both the dance and vocals are catchy and it’s a fan favorite too. Nice choice, Sou-chan!”

“It’s also one of my favorite Trigger songs,” Sougo admitted. “I thought it’d be fun if I was able to cover the dance together with you.”

Suddenly, Tamaki flung himself at Sougo, enveloping him in a tight bear hug. “It’ll definitely be super fun to cover it together! Can’t wait to start working on it!” 

From then on, Tamaki had started going over to Sougo’s studio apartment more often to discuss their dance collaboration, help Sougo learn the choreography, and attempt to record their progress. 

...

Finally done with practicing their dance for the day, Tamaki folded his arms on Sougo’s work table, creating a makeshift pillow to lay his head on. With his cheek pressed on his forearms, he let the soothing melody of Sougo’s piano flow through his ears. His eyes stayed open, fixed on Sougo’s form. The older man’s fingers daintily raced across the keys, creating a gracefully upbeat melody, as his body gently swayed with the music. From the half-open open, the slightly chilly autumn wind slid through, weaving through both Tamaki’s and Sougo’s hair. 

Drawn in not only by Sougo’s melody, but also by his peaceful smile and half lidded gaze, Tamaki’s eyes softened ever so slightly. He noticed how Sougo’s pupils would flit across the keyboard, following the movement of his hands, how Sougo’s head would bop along to his own tune, how his fingers would pause for just a split second before moving on to the next trail of keys as he continued to improvise, bringing the melody to a crescendo. 

Noticing all these little details, Tamaki was once again enthralled by Sougo and his love for music. 

_“I could stay like this forever.”_

The pace started to slow down, and with a final group of chords, Sougo brought the song to an end. Releasing a satisfied exhale, Sougo brought his hands down on his lap and turned to Tamaki, his lips turned up in an expectant smile. 

Tamaki instinctively grinned back. _“That’s cute…”_

“Wh-What did you think?” Sougo asked.

Tamaki pushed his upper body up, off the table. “It sounds really good; really relaxing too. Is this for an assignment..?” 

“Thank you, Tamaki-kun,” Sougo replied. “And this wasn’t an assignment. I just wanted to play some improv.” 

“That’s amazing,” Tamaki praised. “It’s cool how you can make up a tune on the spot!” 

With a light pink blush coloring his cheeks, Sougo turned his gaze down and murmured another ‘thank you’. 

Tamaki requested, “Can I listen to you play again?” 

“Ah… of course,” Sougo answered. “I’d be happy to play for you again.” 

“Can I sit beside you this time?” 

Sougo nodded and, after picking up his chair and scooting a bit to the right, gestured at the space beside him. Tamaki dragged the chair he was previously sitting on, to Sougo’s side, and plopped back down on the seat. Once Tamaki had properly taken his seat, Sougo made sure there was enough space between the two of them before lightly placing his hands on the keys and beginning to play a different tune. 

This song, Tamaki noticed, was slightly more upbeat and overall had a more cheerful tone around it. From his fingers running across the keys to the serene expression on Sougo’s face, Tamaki carefully observed all of Sougo. For a small moment, Sougo too, from the corner of his eyes, met Tamaki’s stare and gave his friend a little heartwarming smile before continuing to play. 

_“Ah…”_

Who knew a smile so short could make Tamaki’s heart skip a beat. With his lips slightly parted, he started to wonder, just how he’s feeling. Once more, he closed his eyes and focused on the melody reverberating throughout the room, and on Sougo’s presence right beside him. 

The two of them side by side… it just felt right. 

…

As the days passed, the autumn leaves continued to fall. Tamaki found himself getting more lost in Sougo’s music, His heart would start beating a tiny bit faster whenever Sougo would lean in to see whatever Tamaki wanted to show him on his phone, or whenever he would press himself against Sougo’s back to correct his posture during their dance sessions. Alternatively, during the times when they would meet up and do their respective assignments in silence, he always felt at peace, as if there was a warm, comfortable blanket enveloping them and their surroundings. 

At times Tamaki would peek up from his laptop to catch Sougo, with his brows furrowed, eyes intently staring at his own screen. Tamaki would notice how Sougo would absentmindedly chew on his bottom lip whenever he hit a roadblock in his thoughts, and how he would sigh and let his shoulders slump whenever he wasn’t satisfied with his own work. 

Sometimes Tamaki’s stare would linger for a moment too long. 

“Tamaki-kun.” 

Tamaki jolted out of his thoughts. “Yeah, Sou-chan?” 

“You’ve been spacing out. Is everything okay?” 

“Oh, ah… yeah, it’s nothing,” Tamaki quickly covered. “I was just thinking!” 

“Mm, alright. If there’s anything bothering you, let me know, okay?” 

…

Sougo knew he was getting himself deeper and deeper into a dangerous situation. 

If he was being honest with himself, he suspected that he had started heading down this rabbit hole of feelings since summer vacation, when they went to the beach. Being able to spend more time together since then, Sougo had definitely fallen further. 

Whenever Tamaki would come over to his house to work on their collaboration, Sougo would look forward to the moments they’d spend together more and more. While practicing the choreography, there were times when Tamaki would press up against his back and help correct his movements. As the rush of blood rang in his ears, Sougo couldn’t help that a blush would color his cheeks, and his heart would start doing flips. He could only hope that the younger man didn’t notice how his nape would turn the same color as his face. 

During their breaks, or when they would just be hanging out, Sougo would play the piano for Tamaki. He let his heart carry the melody, almost afraid that his feelings would shine through within the music. 

Even during the times when they were simply sitting together, Sougo would, out of the corner of his eyes, sneak a glance at Tamaki’s working form. 

_“He’s serious when he needs to be,_ ” Sougo would think, as he observed the way Tamaki would squint when he was working out certain formulas that didn’t match up, or the way the corners of Tamaki’s lips would tilt up and the way his eyes shone with satisfaction when he checked his work and was happy with the results. 

_“Ahh,”_ Sougo mentally groaned, exasperated. _“What do I do?”_

...

“Hey Iorin,” Tamaki called out from his bed. 

“Hm?” 

“These days I’ve been feeling like my heart’s beating faster, and sometimes skipping a beat,” Tamaki continued. His fingers continued to tap on the circles of his rhythm game, keeping up with the song’s pace. “It’s kinda weird.” 

With a completely serious expression, Iori turned in his seat to face Tamaki. “Do you have a history of arrhythmias? Have you seen the doctor?” 

“...No?” Tamaki replied. “I don’t think I need to see a doctor.” 

“Yotsuba-san, you have still been dancing for your channel haven’t you? If there’s a possibility of you having an arrhythmia or any other cardiac issues that’s very concerning and I still think you should consult a doctor.” Iori chastised. 

“No, Iorin, you’re not getting it.” After finishing up the current song he was playing, Tamaki exited the game and pushed himself up into a cross-legged sitting position. “I’ve never had any heart problems.” 

“You may be young but even young people can start having problems-” 

“This only happens when I’m around Sou-chan though,” Tamaki interrupted. “So like, when we’d practice together for our collab and we get closer, my heart starts to beat faster and I get a little more nervous. But hanging out with Sou-chan just feels really nice too, and I really like staying together with him.” 

“Ah…” Iori trailed off. “I see.” 

“That’s it?” 

“There’s not much for me to say is there? It’s pretty obvious.” Iori turned back to his laptop and continued to read his assigned text. “I’m sure you know, yourself.” 

Tamaki propped his elbows on his thighs and leaned his chin on the palms of his hands. “Mm, I kinda do,” he replied. “I just don’t know what I should do from here on.” 

“Do you want to act on it?” Iori asked. 

“I don’t want to ruin what we have right now,” Tamaki replied.

The sudden alert of an incoming message interrupted the conversation momentarily. 

[Tamaki-kun, would you like to accompany me somewhere tomorrow evening?] 

Receiving a message from Sougo right at the moment when he was talking about said person sent a small chill down Tamaki’s spine. 

“Uwah, I just got a message from Sou-chan.” 

“And?” 

“He asked if I’d like to go somewhere with him tomorrow.” 

“Hm,” Iori hummed. “Go ahead and answer him then. I’m going to get back to reading.” 

Tamaki pouted, expecting Iori to help sort out his dilemma first, but knowing his friend, he probably wanted Tamaki to tackle his own problems without the need for others’ help. So, he started typing his response. 

[Yeah! Where do you wanna go?] 

...

The rays of the setting sun reflected off the orangey-red leaves, accenting the warm hues as if the tree itself was enveloping them in warmth amidst the chill of the autumn wind. Taking a seat underneath the tree, Sougo patted the spot beside him, beckoning Tamaki to join him. 

“It’s been a while, but I can never get tired of the sunset and the view of the city from up here,” Sougo spoke. “It’s beautiful.” 

Taking his attention off the scenery, Tamaki snuck a glance at Sougo. His breath almost caught in his throat. Under the shadows of the swaying leaves and the light of the sun, Sougo looked almost ethereal. 

_Ba-thump_

“You’ve always brought me out to watch the stars, so I wanted to bring you to a place that I found beautiful too,” Sougo continued, a light chuckle accompanying his words. 

As Sougo still stared out at the view, Tamaki took the chance to pull out his phone and open his camera app. 

“Sou-chan,” Tamaki called. 

“Yes?” 

Sougo turned his head, his lips still drawn in a soothing smile. Right at that moment, Tamaki pressed the button. He tapped on the photo he just took and grinned, satisfied. 

“Did you just take a picture?”

Tamaki turned his phone to show Sougo. The older man blinked in awe a couple of times, then grabbed both Tamaki’s phone and his hand, pulling the screen closer. 

The composition of the picture looked too good to have been a snapshot. In the background, the hues of orange and red were painted across the sky, as well as the tops of some buildings. The shadows of the leaves casted a pretty pattern over Sougo’s face, accentuating the lavender of his eyes. Finally, Sougo himself was at the forefront, looking straight into the camera- a dream-like sparkle in his eyes accompanying the upturn of his mouth. 

“You look really cool, Sou-chan,” Tamaki commented, flashing a proud grin. “You always do.” 

A blush crept its way up Sougo’s neck to his cheeks. About to reply, Sougo looked up from the screen, finally meeting Tamaki’s eyes. Only then did he realize how close they actually were, with their noses almost touching. Sougo’s reply died in his throat. His lips pressed into a tight line as he tried to swallow his nervousness. Although he attempted to break away from Tamaki’s gaze, he found himself not wanting to. 

_Ba thump_

Sougo could feel his heart about to jump out. They were too close; much too close. He could feel Tamaki’s warmth- his face just mere centimeters away. Overwhelmed by the proximity and atmosphere, Sougo was sure he was going to end up spilling his feelings. 

“Tamaki-kun…”

“I like you, Sou-chan.” 

“Eh?” 

“I like you.” 

With wide eyes and his mouth slightly ajar, all Sougo could do was stare back, like a deer caught in headlights. A few more seconds of silence dragged on. 

_“Did I hear that right? I didn’t mishear anything did I? Sougo Osaka, your hearing is still intact isn’t it?”_ Sougo’s internal struggle was completely masked by his deadpan expression. 

Tamaki started to fidget. “Sou-chan, are you still alive? Sorry, that was really random. If it bothers you-” 

Snapping out of his stupor, Sougo’s hand shot out to grab Tamaki’s sleeve. 

“Don’t you dare take it back, it doesn’t bother me at all,” Sou interrupted. “I like you too.” 

“Say that in the first place, then. Don’t leave me hanging,” Tamaki teasingly huffed. 

“Sorry, sorry, you just caught me by surprise,” Sougo laughed. “I just... didn’t really expect that.” 

“It felt like I had to say it. I didn’t wanna let the chance slip,” Tamaki reasoned. He wrapped his fingers around Sougo’s wrist and scooted closer. “I’ll say it properly this time.” 

Tamaki slid his hand from Sougo’s wrist to his fingers and lightly grasped them. “I like you, Sou-chan. Won’t you go out with me?” 

Using the sleeve of his other arm to attempt to conceal his blush and uncontrollable grin, Sougo nodded. “Of course. I’ll be in your care, Tamaki-kun.” 

Tamaki responded by leaning in and lightly touching Sougo’s forehead with his, an equally large and toothy smile plastered on his face. 

“I’m in your care too, Sou-chan.”

Lost in each other’s eyes, both of them leaned in just enough so that their lips touched in a small, chaste kiss. Tamaki cupped Sougo’s cheek in his hand while Sougo nuzzled into Tamaki’s palm. Once more, they brought their lips together, but this time, drew it out into a longer kiss, savoring the taste of each other’s lips. 

That night, when Tamaki returned to his dorm room, he jumped straight on to his bed while excitedly retelling the story of his day to Iori. 

Iori, although acting nonchalantly, was as happy for him as Tamaki was excited. Offering a genuine smile, he spoke, “Congratulations, Yotsuba-san.” 

* * *

**_With winter comes the drift of fresh falling snow.The delicate beauty of snowfall is better appreciated when enveloped in the warmth of another._ **

In the comforting warmth of Sougo’s studio apartment, Tamaki scrolled through the comments on his and Sougo’s most recent collaboration as Sougo typed away on his laptop, working on an assignment. 

“A lot of people are praising your dancing, Sou-chan,” Tamaki commented, a large, proud grin spreading across his face. “You picked up the moves really well! The viewers are saying that the video was a nice surprise.” 

“Well, I had a great teacher,” Sougo replied with a laugh. 

“You worked your butt off a whole lot too,” Tamaki pointed out. “Whenever I came over you were always in the middle of practicing.” He reached over to pat Sougo’s head. “You worked really hard, Sou-chan.” 

Sougo laughed as he continued to let Tamaki pat his head. “If the dance cover turned out badly because of me, I wouldn’t be able to face anyone; not you or the viewers. Thank you for putting up with and teaching me.” 

“You give yourself so little credit. I’m happy to help you with anything, anytime,” Tamaki promised. He then peeked at Sougo’s laptop. “What are you working on now?” 

“I’m trying to see if I can finish this report today.” 

“It’s due today?” 

Sougo shook his head. “I still have some more days until it’s due. I’m almost done so I wanted to see if I can finish it in advance. Ah, but I still have some more assignments due next week that I wanted to finish as soon as I can. I wonder if I’ll have time to work on my own projects too...Maybe if I pull another all nighter...” 

“Sou-chan, you workaholic.” 

Tamaki stood up and slowly lowered Sougo’s laptop screen. Before the older man could protest, Tamaki cut in, “Don’t worry, your work’s gonna be saved in the app. You can continue it later.” 

He then took Sougo’s hand and tugged him up. Without a word, he pulled Sougo along to his bed and sat him down. Putting his hands on Sougo’s shoulders, Tamaki gently leaned Sougo back on the mattress and then covered him up with the blanket. 

“At least take a nap. You can continue working later. Between keeping up with school and practicing for the collab, you haven’t really gotten proper rest have you? Don’t stress yourself out.” 

Sougo shot Tamaki an appreciative smile. “Fufu, thank you Tamaki-kun.”

“I’ll let you rest then. I’m gonna head home.” 

“You’re welcome to stay,” Sougo offered. 

“Want me to keep you company?” Tamaki suggested. 

After a slight moment of hesitation, Sougo pulled his blanket up to his chin and nodded slowly. 

“Who’s the kid now…” Tamaki mumbled, a light teasing tone evident in his voice. “Okay, move over, Sou-chan.” 

“Eh?” 

“Scoot over,” Tamaki repeated. 

Sougo did so, making room on one side, in which Tamaki went ahead and crawled into. Like a fish out of water, Sougo’s mouth opened and closed repeatedly, trying to form words but instead could only utter undecipherable noises. 

Tamaki pulled the blanket over himself too, making sure that both him and Sougo were covered. He then moved closer, wrapping his arm around Sougo's waist. 

“I might as well sleep too,” Tamaki muttered into Sougo’s hair. 

Although his face was still burning and his heart was still beating a mile a minute, Sougo let his body melt into Tamaki’s and draped his arm across his boyfriend’s torso. Underneath the blanket, surrounded by Tamaki’s warmth, he was already being lulled to sleep, gradually letting the waves of drowsiness wash over him. 

“Sou-chan,” Tamaki whispered. 

“Hm?” 

“Let’s go on a date on Christmas day.” 

Sougo murmured a soft “okay, let’s go” before burying his face into Tamaki’s chest and letting his tiredness overtake him. 

With a light chuckle, Tamaki planted a kiss on Sougo’s forehead. Before long, he too drifted off to sleep. 

...

In the blink of an eye, Christmas had arrived. Among the daintily falling snow, Tamaki and Sougo walked hand in hand, passing by shop windows with Christmas themed decorations. The hustle and bustle of the city during Christmas wasn’t surprising in the slightest. They knew the streets would be filled with the chatter of couples, families, as well as the cheery music befitting the season. Before long, they arrived at the main square of the city, where most of the activity was. Tamaki’s eyes were almost immediately drawn to the laughter and movement of the people gliding around on the outdoor ice skating rink. 

He squeezed Sougo’s hand, grabbing his attention. “Sou-chan, look look! There’s an ice rink. Wanna go?” 

“Ice skating…?” Sougo repeated. “I haven’t gone skating in such a long time, so I might be a bit rusty.” 

“That’s fine! We’re just having fun,” Tamaki reassured. “Besides, I can always catch you when you fall.” 

Sougo chuckled. “I know you will. Alright, let’s go to the rental area.” 

Once they were on the ice, Tamaki first held Sougo’s hands to let him get used to skating again. In almost no time, the two of them were gliding across the rink easily, side by side. At times, Tamaki would speed off in a random direction, leaving behind a slightly concerned Sougo. Before long however, Sougo himself attempted to chase after Tamaki while also avoiding the other customers. 

Tamaki, after letting Sougo chase him for a while, came to a sudden stop. Sougo, on the other hand, still gliding with momentum, ended up ramming straight into his boyfriend, bringing both of them down and causing Tamaki to land on his butt. 

“Tamaki-kun, are you okay?” Sougo planted his hands on Tamaki’s shoulders and immediately started a whole body scan on him, overcome with worry. “Ah...thankfully we didn’t get scraped by the blades in any way…” 

“I’m fine, Sou-chan,” Tamaki reassured. 

“You shouldn’t have stopped so suddenly,” Sougo chastised, his voice turning into an anxious mix of concern and sternness. “You fell backward. What if you had hit your head on the ice too?” 

Tamaki pouted, “We’re both okay though. No one’s hurt. You don’t have to overthink so much about possibilities that didn’t even happen.”

Blowing out a shaky sigh, Sougo let his body relax. With slouched shoulders, Sougo leaned in to Tamaki. “I just don’t want you to get any injuries. Especially not on our date.” 

“I’m fine, see?” Tamaki made a small show of moving his arms and twisting his torso. “I know you worry, Sou-chan. But I’m really okay.”

Sougo merely nodded in response. 

The younger man wrapped his arms around Sougo’s waist, bringing him in closer. “Or y’know, maybe I just wanted to catch you like I said I would.” 

An uncharacteristic snort escaped Sougo’s lips. “You did, in a way.”

Noticing the change in Sougo’s voice to a more lighthearted tone, Tamaki smiled. “Sorry for making you worry.” 

Sougo, in turn, soothingly stroked Tamaki’s hair. “As long as you’re safe…” 

“Um, excuse me.” 

A young brunette called as she stopped beside them. “I’m so sorry to interrupt but I think you’re blocking the way for others…” 

Flustered, Sougo immediately pushed himself away and scrambled up, almost slipping again. “We’re so sorry. We’ll leave right away, thank you! Tamaki-kun, let’s go.” 

Tamaki only had time to nod before Sougo, with his face bright red, skated off to the entrance and stepped out of the rink, leaving Tamaki still sitting on his behind with his legs spread. 

“Sou-chan, over-reactive as usual,” Tamaki endearingly muttered under his breath as he also pushed himself back up. 

... 

“That was refreshing!” Tamaki sighed happily. “It always feels so much better after some kind of workout.” 

“It was really fun, albeit a little embarrassing later,” Sougo added. His cheeks still slightly tainted pink from the prior incident. “Though I have to say, being out of practice, I thought I wouldn’t be able to stay upright at all.” 

“You were good, Sou-chan!” 

“Thank you. You looked like you’ve been skating your whole life.” 

“Ah, it’s cuz when I was younger there was a rink near my place. I’d take my little sister there too,” Tamaki reminisced. “Mm, and I guess I always found a chance to visit a rink later too? It’s like something you get used to and don’t really forget, y’know? Kinda like riding a bicycle.” 

“I think you’re also just really good at anything that involves movement,” Sougo commented as he returned his pair of skates. 

They exited the rental area and decided to sit for a while on a nearby bench in the square. Surrounded by the laughter and lively conversation of others around them, Tamaki and Sougo merely sat and enjoyed the atmosphere for a moment. The snowflakes continued to drift lazily, like dots of white paint decorating the gradually darkening winter sky.

Standing right in the middle of the square was a gigantic christmas tree, fully decorated with colorful ornaments, ribbons, and lights that were starting to come to life. The tree lit up the small area, demanding attention from everyone around it. 

“Woah, that’s bright,” Tamaki pointed out. “Let’s get closer, Sou-chan!” 

Tamaki jumped off from the bench and jogged closer to the tree, with Sougo following suit. A few steps behind, Sougo pulled out his phone and pointed its camera at the tree, playing around with different angles. 

“Sou-chan, come here!” 

Sougo shifted the camera slightly lower, including Tamaki inside the shot. The illumination of the christmas lights surrounded the younger man’s form, creating a warm halo around him, accentuating the upward curve of Tamaki’s lips and bright eyes glittering with wonder. The snowflakes danced around, accompanying him as if he was in a snowglobe. With one hand casually tucked in the pocket of his winter jacket and the other stretched up, waving at Sougo to join him, Tamaki could easily be mistaken for a model. 

_Click_

If Tamaki was the model, then Sougo was his photographer for this moment. Satisfied, Sougo made sure the picture was saved and walked ahead to join his boyfriend. 

“Did you take a picture?” 

“Mmhm,” Sougo casually replied. 

“Let me see!” 

Tamaki took a nice, long look at the photo. His eyebrows raised and lips parted, pleasantly impressed.

“It was too good of an opportunity,” Sougo said, following up with a light chuckle. He reached up to brush a few strands of hair away from Tamaki’s face. “You look very handsome, like always.” 

Surprised by Sougo’s sudden, straightforward compliment, Tamaki felt a blush creeping up his cheeks. “Sou-chan, that’s not fair.” 

“Eh?” 

“You can’t just say that out of the blue.” 

“Oh. But you did the same thing to me before,” Sougo reminded.

“Mm,” Tamaki hummed, remembering very well how his confession had gone. 

Instead of keeping the subject going, Tamaki stepped to Sougo’s side and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him flush against his side. “Here, let’s take one together.” Tamaki opened the camera app on Sougo’s phone and raised his arm, quickly searching for a good angle. Instinctively, Sougo leaned his head on Tamaki’s shoulder while Tamaki responded by pressing his lips against Sougo’s hair. 

_Click_

…

“Sou-chan.” 

“Hm?” 

The snow had stopped and the sky, clear of clouds and illuminated by the moonlight, was a deep blue. Beneath the cloak of the night sky, Tamaki and Sougo, with their fingers intertwined, made their way back to Sougo’s apartment first.

“Did you have fun today?” 

“Of course,” Sougo replied.

“Me too,” Tamaki followed. He gave Sougo’s hand a small squeeze. “Time flew by so fast.” 

“Mmhm. It felt like the day passed by in a second.” 

Even now, before they knew it, the entrance of Sougo’s apartment building came into view. Letting go of each other’s hands, Tamaki stood to the side as Sougo reached into his pockets to grab his keys. 

“Thank you for walking me all the way home, Tamaki-kun.” 

“I’m always happy to!” Tamaki then planted a light kiss on Sougo’s lips. “Stay warm okay? I’ll see you later then, Sou-chan.” 

Right as Tamaki turned to leave, Sougo reached out and tugged on his sleeve, prompting the younger man to look back. 

“Um…” 

Locking his gaze with Tamaki’s, Sougo continued, “Do you want to come inside? Stay a bit more...” 

Tamaki blinked. How rare it was to see Sougo actually asking for things instead of keeping everything in and not voicing his requests. Happily, Tamaki agreed, “Of course I’ll stay.”

Sougo heaved a relieved sigh. Once he opened the door and stepped in, Tamaki followed in comfortably, as if he’d been living there for a while now. 

Perhaps one day the time will come when both of them can call the same residence “home”. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this fic was a fun read! Please let me know what you think ^_^ Kudos and comments are always appreciated!  
> Please feel free to talk with me on twitter! ( [ @bunnymikaaa](https://twitter.com/bunnymikaaa) )


End file.
